


Third-Years

by capuberra



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Third Year Hinata Shouyou, Third Year Kageyama Tobio, Third Year Tsukishima Kei, Third Year Yachi Hitoka, Third Year Yamaguchi Tadashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:40:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25503022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capuberra/pseuds/capuberra
Summary: The start of their last volleyball season is almost upon them. Some things have changed, but some things- like bickering- always stay the same.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 80





	Third-Years

**Author's Note:**

> Just wanted to do something short & fluffy about the first-year gang in their senior year, especially after seeing the cute art from Furudate!

Hinata pressed his forearms together, bumping the ball back toward Kageyama in a high arc. They’d spent most of the rainy afternoon in Hinata’s room, playing video games or re-watching highlights from pro games, but as soon as the skies cleared in the evening they shrugged on their jackets and started tossing around a worn volleyball in the backyard. 

It’d become a more common scene over the years, since Kageyama finally started acknowledging their friendship for what is was. At the very least, he had decided it was less trouble to actually answer Hinata’s texts and come over (at the risk of getting roped into spinning for Natsu’s double dutch practice) than to ignore him and have Hinata appear unannounced at his house twenty minutes later. Nowadays, most off days found the two of them chatting as they savored the simple pleasure of passing the ball back and forth.

As Hinata watched Kageyama stretch up his arms to toss he was reminded of another evening in his yard, about three months ago. Unlike the humid April evening it had been a cold, harsh night in January. The air was biting and snow began to swirl as clouds obscured the sunset. Their devastating loss to Inarizaki at Nationals was still fresh, stinging and burning with every recollection. They had no net but Hinata pushed the ball into Kageyama’s chest, demanding he set for him. He’d spiked each one of his setter’s tosses into the gathering snow with more ferocity than the last, until they were left staring up into the dark sky with silent, hot tears streaming down their cheeks. They probably would’ve stood there all night if Hinata’s mom hadn’t called them inside with dark predictions of losing their fingers to frostbite. 

Now, on the eve of a new volleyball season, the mood was different. They had licked their wounds, healed and rested, and were itching for more. 

“What do you think the new first-years will be like?” Hinata asked.

Kageyama smirked. “Hopefully they won’t suck as bad as you did.”

Hinata sucked his teeth, switching from an underhand to overhand position. “Well hopefully they won’t have your shitty attitude.” 

Kageyama shot him a look but didn’t say anything, reaching up to toss the ball high and slow to the side. Hinata’s eyes flashed as he saw the opportunity. With a running start he launched himself into the air and spiked the ball down hard. They grinned as their eyes met. 

“It’s kinda sad though, isn’t it,” Hinata said as he jogged to retrieve the ball, “Our last season at Karasuno.” There was more he could’ve said— their last season as teammates, probably the last season they’d see each other regularly, their last season before things really changed— but he didn’t. 

“Not really,” the setter said bluntly.

“Kageyama! You’re so heartless,” Hinata hollered, chucking the ball at him, “You sound like Tsukishima!”

Usually an insult like that would have him red in the face, but he caught the ball with a smile and a glint in his eye. “I mean, it’s not like we’re ever going to stop playing volleyball, right?” 

Across town Tsukishima sneezed, feeling an odd twinge like someone was talking about him.

Yamaguchi jumped a little on the other end of the bed. “Shit, you’re not getting sick, are you?” He whipped around to look at him with wide eyes, sitting forward on his knees. “You can’t get a cold now, Tsukki, the new season starts tomorrow!”

Tsukishima adjusted his glasses with a frown. “Will you relax? It was one sneeze, I’m not getting hospitalized.”

“Sorry, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi sighed, slumping back against the wall and clutching his stomach, “I’m just so anxious about my first day as captain. Yachi gave me some advice on dealing with nerves, but I feel just like the first time Coach called me up as a pinch server.”

“Yeah, you’ve been acting psychotic all week. It’s ridiculous.”

“Hey!” Yamaguchi tossed a pillow at his head. “Just because you never get worked up about anything doesn’t mean it’s ridiculous. There’s a lot of pressure!” 

Tsukki rolled his eyes, running a hand through his bangs to fix them. “It’s ridiculous when you’re the only one who still doubts your skills.” He refused to meet Yamaguchi’s gaze but he couldn’t help the corner of his lip curling upward. 

Yamaguchi smiled, understanding how Tsukki complimented him in his own way. “Y-Yeah, I guess,” he said, scratching the back of his head. 

“Now will you finally pick a course?” Tsukki picked up his Switch controller and nodded toward the Mario Kart menu blinking on the TV, “I wanna kick your ass again.”

“Oh right- sorry, Tsukki!”

The next morning broke cold and clear. In his rush to bike to school Hinata almost hit Kageyama in the street, but after some arguing and a little shoving they agreed to stop by Sakanoshita Store together. Just as they got to the shop, three other figures appeared at either side of the intersection— Tsukishima and Yamaguchi from one direction, Yachi from the other. For a second, they all blinked at each other in silence.

“Guess we all had the same idea, huh?” Yachi said with a smile.

They all laughed and, realizing it’d been weeks since they’d really seen each other, fell into handshakes and eager chatter. Even Tsukki seemed excited, his lips pressed into a smile.

“You finally got the haircut, ‘Guchi!” Hinata grinned as his teammate reluctantly submitted to having his hair ruffled.

“It looks good! You’re not shaggy anymore,” Yachi giggled. “Oh wait! I guess we should be referring to you as Captain Yamaguchi now, huh?” She struck a pose and saluted him with a stiff upper lip. 

Everyone else laughed, but Yamaguchi looked a little sea sick. “Ugh. Remind me to buy some antacid, I’m gonna need it.”

“You’ll be fine,” Tsukishima said, “It’s not like any first years could ever be worse than these two were.” He smirked at Hinata and Kageyama.

Hinata bounced with indignation. “Why does everyone keep saying that? I wasn’t even that bad, Kageyama’s the one-”

“-Don’t try to blame me, dumbass, my ‘attitude’ was ‘cause you sucked,” Kageyama snapped.

“What?!”

Yamaguchi looked stricken. “Oh god,” he groaned, “How am I supposed to keep order? I can’t be scary like Sawamura or Ennoshita!” A chill ran through the group at the memory of lectures past. None of them were sure _anyone_ could be scarier than Daichi.

Evidently looking for a change in topic, Yamaguchi sighed and pointed to the small stack of papers Yachi clutched to her chest. “Anyway, what’ve you got there, Yachi?”

“Oh, these?” She pulled her low ponytail over her shoulder so she could fidget with a lock of hair. “It’s nothing, just- I guess some people have been noticing the posters I make for you guys and, well, the girls’ team asked me to do something for them.” She turned the papers around, revealing an eye-catching design to recruit new members.

The other boys nodded approvingly but Hinata’s eyes went wide. “You’re doing work for another team? But you’re _our_ manager!” He clenched his fists, shouting to the sky, “Augh! It was so cool to be the only club with awesome posters!”

“It’s way too early for this much yelling,” Tsukishima muttered.

Yachi’s face immediately went red and she threw out her hands. “I-I’m sorry Hinata! I told them it was just this once, I don’t want anyone on the team to think I’m a traitor!”

Hinata, who didn’t seem to be listening, wrapped his arms around Yachi from the side. “Screw the girls’ team, I won’t let them take you!”

Suddenly the door of Sakanoshita Store flew open and they all froze. “Oi!” Coach Ukai appeared, his breath a mix of cigarette smoke and steam, “You idiots gonna stand there causing a ruckus in the freezing cold all morning, or are you gonna come in?”

“Sorry, Coach!” They called, running inside.

Ten minutes later they filed out, Yachi sipping hot cocoa (an apology for “roping her in with the idiots”) while the boys munched on granola bars. Yamaguchi was feeling more confident after a pep talk from Ukai, and everyone was energized after hearing that they had an early practice game scheduled.

“I guess if I’m having trouble I can always count on you to whip the new recruits into shape, right Yachi?” Yamaguchi said, nudging her with a smile.

Yachi withered a little. “Oh gosh, no- I have my hands full enough trying to wrangle you guys and the second-years.” Really, the second-years were well behaved and her own cohort listened when she found the courage to reprimand them. But somehow a joke had gotten started that she’d turn into a drill sergeant and just the thought made her want to faint. She shuddered even when she remembered how poorly everyone got along before she joined in their first year. Sure she’d grown a lot since then, but she still wasn’t sure her nerves could handle something like that.

“Oo, we should all take a picture before our practice game this week,” Hinata suggested, “To commemorate the start of our last season!” Yachi and Yamaguchi responded with enthusiastic yeses, but Kageyama and Tsukishima both scoffed.

“I’m not doing that,” they said in unison. Everyone tried to stifle their laughter when the two boys looked at each other with a mix of shock and disgust. 

“Fine,” Kageyama said after a minute.

“I guess,” Tsukishima muttered.

“Perfect!” Hinata tried to throw his arms over their shoulders, but they both brushed him off with a scowl. “Karasuno- fight!”

“Shut up, it’s too early!”


End file.
